Practice golf ball device



Dec. 4, 1934. o. A. HENDEREN 1,982,808

INVENTOR.

4 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 4, 1934 -slrlA sf `rimerelease.om" BaLLfinnvIoE om) A; rnenaers'en, Racine, wijs.:

i .Applicationounetaf.1932, seriarNn. 619,369

` 2 claims; y (or. .27a- 35) This invention `relates vto improvements." in"v` practice golf ball devices.

'Heretofora variousdevices"have been mark'-l etecl vto provide "driving practiceY for golfers'.`

v-'Thesedevices mustbe suitable for us'ein aback yard" vor otherplace `where only limited"'space" is available; l The majority of" constructions now soldutilize a soft ballwhichis vconnected by a' flexible tetherto a base or anchor. These de- 1i) "vices are objectionable because of the fact that the ball is easily broken or becomes disconnected from the tether.

In my prior Patent No. 1,700,224, dated January 29, 1929, there is disclosed an arrangement `-=Wherein a standard golf ball is utilized, andthis device, while entirely satisfactory, is relatively complicated in construction and makes no provision for estimating the length of the shot or the accuracy thereof.

L It is, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved practice golf ball device which is of rugged construction and which utilizes a standard form of golf ball,` and which is so formed that the length of the @5i-shot and the accuracy thereof can be readily estimated.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a practice golf ball device embodying a flexible anchoring member which is so formed .that the length of the shot can be estimated by the amount of the ilexible member displaced.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a practice golf ball device in which the flexible member consists of a length of chain,

i-the links of which progress in size and Weight.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described wherein the golf ball and the short length of chain immediately adjacent thereto may be readily disconnected .wfor replacement purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practice golf ball device which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and well adapted for the purpose described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved practice golf ball device and all its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating one complete embodiment of the preferred form of the invention, in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views: a Fig. 1 is a plan view of the complete device;

Fig. 2 isa side; envenena iviewrhereaL-show:

ingthel devicefiniy af position readyfor' use, parts` beingbroken' away and Fig; 3 is" an" enlarged detailvie'w showing-'the' golf balli in cross section'andshowingaportion f ofv tlie chain lattached thereto. v

Referring' more particularly tothe drawing, the numeral 5 ydesignates a golf n"balli of*standardl construction, and said golffbalhhas` extending' therein a heavy staple 6 having arms '7 which are formed With prongs 8 to prevent Withdrawal of the staple from the ball. To the outer end of the staple there is secured a length of chain 9, the links of which are preferably of welded construction, as at 10. This length of chain which is preferably about 6 inches long is secured to one end of a second length of chain 11 having links of slightly larger size. Other chain sections 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 25 are secured together in sequence, each chain section being made up of links of slightly greater size and Weight. It is preferred to utilize in the section 9, links formed of metal having a diameter of '7/64 of an inch, the links in each succeeding section being formed of metal having a diameter 1/64 of an inch greater than the diameter of the metal of the links of the previous section.

The last link of the first section 9 is formed in split formation, as at 24, instead of being Welded. With this arrangement, the golf ball and rst chain section may be readily disconnected by the use of a pair `of pliers when the golf ball or rst chain section links have become too greatly battered.

In use, the golf ball is placed on the ground or teed up in a desired position, and the length of chain is stretched out in a straight line in front of the ball and in the direction in which it is desired to drive, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The ball is then struck with the object of driving it in the direction in which the chain is laid out, and following the impact the ball will pick up and double over a certain amount of the length of chain. The entire chain is, of course,

of such Weight that all of it cannot be lifted when the ball is struck by any ordinary person.

The chain sections may be so proportioned in weight with respect to one another that the length of the shot` can be readily estimated. By utilizing chain sections the links of which are formed of metal having the diameters suggested above, it is found that if the drive is of such force as to double up the chain through the section 19, that the drive Will be approximately 100 yards. If the chain is doubledlup through the section 20, the drive will be approximately 125 yards. Similarly, by doubling up the chain through the sections 21, 22, 23 and 25, the length. of the drive will be respectively, 150, 200, 250 and 300 yards. It will thus be seen` that the length. of the shot can be quickly ascertained with sub-- stantial accuracy.

In addition, after the ball is struck and hasI come to repose, the direction in Which the por-- tion of the chain displaced, extends, will show the direction in which the ball has been hit, that is, Whether the drive Was straight or Whether it was a slice or a hook.

Needless to say, the size and Weight of the? f ing doubled over, and which has sufficient Weightto retard the progress of the ball. It is also obviousr that other changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contemplated as may come within the scope of the claims.

1. A practice golf ball device comprising a ball having an elongated chain secured thereto and.

adapted to be stretched out in the line of flight of the ball, and said chain being formed of directly interconnected sections, the links of the Iirst section being of one size and weight and. the links of subsequent sections progressively' increasingl in size and Weight whereby after a ball has been driven to double over a portion of the chain the length of the shot can be estimated by. the number of sections displaced.

2. A practice golf ball device comprising a ball having an elongated chain secured thereto and `adapted to be stretched out in the line of flight of the ball, said chain being formed of sections which progressively increase in Weight, each section being formed of individual links and said individual links and sections being similarly directed interconnected whereby after a ball has been driven to double over a portion of the chain the chain will retain said doubledover position at any point in the length thereof so that the length of the shot can be estimated by the amount of the chain displaced, the Weight of each section `being controlled by the Weight of the links of the chain itself.

OTTO A. HENDERSEN. 

